Simple Tick Removal – Dog and Deer Tick Removal
I was sent this in an email, and since I live in a heavily wooded 2 acre lot with lots of neighbor dogs and wild deer around my house I thought others might want to have this info as much as I do.
“Please forward to anyone with children and/or pets or hunters, etc!! thanks!
A School Nurse has written the info below — good enough to share — And it really works!! I had a pediatrician tell me what she believes is the best way to remove a tick.
This is great, because it works in those places where it’s some times difficult to get to with tweezers: between toes, in the middle of a head full of dark hair, etc. Apply a glob of liquid soap to a cotton ball.
Cover the tick with the soap-soaked cotton ball and let it stay on the repulsive insect for a few seconds (15-20), after which the tick will come out on it’s own and be stuck to the cotton ball when you lift it away.
This technique has worked every time I’ve used it (and that was frequently), and it’s much less traumatic for the patient and easier for me. Unless someone is allergic to soap, I can’t see that this would be damaging in any way.
I even had my doctor’s wife call me for advice because she had one stuck to her back and she couldn’t reach it with tweezers. She used this method and immediately called me back to say, “It worked!” Please pass on; everyone needs this helpful hint.
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Just FYI – I was reading an article the other day that said NOT to “smother” ticks with soap or vaseline. It went on to explain before the tick unlatches his hold on the person’s skin, it will basically throw up everything in its mouth in order to detach itself. The article said the tick would be depositing its own mouth germs into the person’s bloodstream, as well as germs from whatever animals it may have recently bitten. Kinda gross to think about, but a good enough reason to find someone who CAN reach that little devil with the tweezers if you cannot!
My husband and I went into the woods and I got five deer ticks on me. They are so tiny, they’re almost impossible to pull out with tweasers. I tried your technique and it worked very well! They wouldn’t come off on the cotton balls after 20 seconds, but after leaving the glob of liquid soap directly on the tick for probably 30 to 40 seconds, they did pull out easily then. My therory is that the soap smothers them, causing them to relax their hold. Then you can pull them right off. Thank you!